Mumbai: After backlash, all road repairs back with wards

Potholes on Link Road, in Goregaon East July 25. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Potholed roads wider than 6 metres-plus will also get quick attention here on, promises the BMC. Bombarded with complaints of slow work, the civic body has withdrawn its two-month-old decision of giving the roads department exclusive rights on these roads. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed a nodal officer at each of the 24 wards for monitoring and fixing of potholes.

Before monsoon, the BMC gave the roads department full responsibility of fixing potholes on roads of 6-plus meters in width. However, this led to delay in repair works, alleged activists. In a meeting held last week, the BMC administration appointed the assistant municipal commissioner (AMC) at each ward as the nodal officer for repair works, sources said. "Ward officials will use machinery as well as coordinate with the central agency of the roads department," said AMC P Velrasu.

The plan

According to the plan, a team of civic officials will survey their respective wards and identify potholes. The AMC will then inform the contractor appointed by the BMC's roads department. The contractor will then send the workers to fix the potholes.

A potholed patch near Mith Chowky Metro station, Link Road, on July 26. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Activists, however, said this change would still not address the main concern - quick repair of poor roads. Hence, it would make no difference unless the ward officials are given the full authority to fix potholes, they said.

Previously, a BMC engineer explained, "Our workers used to temporarily repair potholes even when it rained. And when it stopped raining, the contractor would fix the patch permanently. However, for the past two months, we had no authority for quick, temporary fixes on roads having a width of 6 meters and above."

‘Won't work, unless...'

Trivankumar Karnani, founder, Mumbai North Central District Forum, said, "The policy has rendered speedy grievance redressal of potholes inefficacious, because the local wards are incapacitated to provide immediate interim relief. That is because the responsibility has been fixed with the roads department of the BMC." "If the ward is executing the machinery, then this new policy will work. But if the AMC is just meant to convey messages to the roads department, then again, the repair work will be delayed," Karnani added.

Dhaval Shah, civic activist and a resident of Andheri West, said, "This constant change causes confusion and leads to delay in filling of potholes. The end result is that citizens continue to suffer. Policy decisions should be well thought-out." Activist Sanjay Gurav from Fort said he hoped the potholes would be fixed a little quicker, now that the ward officials are coordinating with the contractor.